National sets sights on deputy speaker in house

By AUDREY YOUNG, political editor

National Deputy leader Gerry Brownlee has lodged a notice of no-confidence in the Deputy Speaker, Northcote MP Ann Hartley, but Speaker Jonathan Hunt says she is a victim of "the Boys Club" in Parliament.

Mr Brownlee's motion says: "That this House, due to a gross lack of knowledge of standing orders, and general incompetence in the exercise of a presiding officer's responsibilities, has no confidence in the Deputy Speaker, Ann Hartley MP."

Despite the fact that he has delivered up a misrelated participle that attributes incompetence to the whole House rather than his intended target, Mr Brownlee insists that the resolution was not a rush job, nor was it the result of her ordering him out of the House last week part-way through a speech.

Discussion of Mr Brownlee's motion can be blocked by any MP, so it is not likely to get an airing unless he chooses to make an issue of it in Wednesday's general debate.

But such a public declaration against an officer of the House is rare - no one can remember it happening since 1986 under Gerry Wall's rocky stewardship of the House.

Mr Hunt defended his deputy yesterday, saying he had full confidence in her.

"It is not the easiest job, as people have found out.

"It has always been more difficult for a woman to be in that position than a man because there are people who do take advantage of the fact that she is a woman, as has been done in the past. The Boys' Club gets together occasionally and decides to have a go."

There have been two other women officers of Parliament: National's Joy Quigley, now retired, and Whanganui MP Jill Pettis, now the senior Government whip.

Mr Brownlee said: "We're just sick of it. Our party and our caucus just don't have any confidence in her and there comes a time when you've just got to do something about it."

To make the point that it was not about party politics, Mr Brownlee said that Mrs Hartley's Labour colleague Ross Robertson, an assistant speaker, was "an extraordinary presiding officer" and well-respected.

"You can't fault him. He exercises a degree of fair play in the House."

Told of Mr Hunt's comments, Mr Brownlee said he was "staggered" at them. He believed they were "defamatory and quite untrue".

If anyone could be blamed for his eviction from Parliament last week it was Education Minister Trevor Mallard who was determined to constantly interrupt Mr Brownlee.

"I am staggered that he has made that comment. Given that he sits in the chair, I think it is an incredibly prejudiced position to express."

Act leader Richard Prebble was not sure if his party would support a motion in the unlikely event it was put to a vote, but said Mrs Hartley was not familiar with standing orders, was rude and lacked judgment.

"If she was a rugby referee, she would be taken off the panel."

Jill Pettis said last night that she would not want to use the term "Boys' Club" because it was too derogatory.

"But I used to find, particularly in the evening sessions, that sometimes, some of the male members would find it entertaining to goad the women in the chair."

She said she had a thick hide and never took it personally.

Mrs Hartley did not respond to requests for comment.

Ann Hartley

* Labour MP, elected in 1999

* Mayor, Birkenhead 1986-1989

* Mayor, North Shore City 1989-1992

* Former real estate agent